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OLD FLINGS:2011 Demos: CDEP
Old Flings started as an attempt to put some muscle behind singer and acoustic guitarist Matt Evans. It turned into a legitimate band that has a Hot Water Music influence but with, perhaps, a little more indie and punk sound. It’s quite different than Evans’ hardcore punk band, Just Die! There’s nothing complicated or unique here, just six songs with strong, endearing vocals and a sound reminiscent of Liars Academy—which is probably why I find this release so up my alley—as I always thought they were a pretty underrated band. The fourth track, “Stranded,” is the one exception to this, with an acoustic sound and a contribution from someone who sounds like Cat Power (but I’m assuming is not). It’s a very beautiful song and serves as a nice break from the punk material. My one major complaint is that sometimes Evans’ vocals fall a bit flat and the lyrics, while not stupid, aren’t as powerful as they might be. Considering these are demos, though, they’re not too bad. I’d be interested in hearing what they do with a full-length.
–Kurt Morris (Bitter Melody)

OLD FLINGS:Spite: LP
Depressing and uplifting at the same time, fans of Samiam won’t want to miss Old Flings. Already on its second pressing, there’s quite a buzz about Spite in some circles, and for good reason. The Samiam comparison would be a lazy one if it weren’t for the fact that this record is virtually interchangeable with Samiam at its best. Hailing from Ashville, NC and starting out as an experiment to electrify an already prominent acoustic musician’s songs, Old Flings is one of those bands that quickly gains legions of fans. I’m not sure that the brooding mindset is for everyone, but those into the more gloomy end of punk will dig it.
–Art Ettinger (Self Aware, selfawarerecords.com)

OLD GHOST:Light Returns: CD
The music is nice enough, but the vocals piss me off because it might as well be some five-minute pop chart wonder on the mic. I'm not someone who believes that country has to include drawls or slur words in order to adhere to some vague and affected notion of authenticity, but this sounds like little more than a competent country band backing a bland pop singer. My problem isn't that this is insincere due to some lack of rural stylings - my problem is that it's fucking boring.
–Puckett (Morphius)

OLD GHOST:Light Returns: CD
The music is nice enough, but the vocals piss me off because it might as well be some five-minute pop chart wonder on the mic. I’m not someone who believes that country has to include drawls or slur words in order to adhere to some vague and affected notion of authenticity, but this sounds like little more than a competent country band backing a bland pop singer. My problem isn’t that this is insincere due to some lack of rural stylings—my problem is that it’s fucking boring.
–Puckett (Morphius)

OLD GLORY:Battle Born: 7”

Las Vegas oi/street rock style stuff that is well recorded and actually really catchy. The title track is kind of a dud for me, but the second song picks it up a little bit. Everything is really in that mid-tempo range so it’s not like it’s in your face, but the songs are good and the lead breaks are catchy and good. It vaguely reminds me of stuff like Patriot or the early Adolf And The Piss Artists records. I guess the best point of reference would be Maddog Surrender, but that’s probably a little obscure. The B-side track “Enough of You” is the best of the three and has that nice Best Defense vibe to it. The band is American but the record came out on a label in the Netherlands’s, so I’m not sure how hard it would be to get over here.

–Ian Wise (Stratum, stratumrecords.nl)

OLD GROWTH:Out of the Sand and into the Streets: LP
To be honest, this record didn’t move me even though I
think it is pretty good. That’s not to say that its sentiments, rhythms, and
tonalities are not for anyone, I simply did not find my pulse to be altered
drastically when spinning this record. Having said that, for those who are into
the punk-influenced proto-grunge of Mudhoney, or Neil Young’s Reactor, this record could be a welcome
appearance in your life. Bass-heavy guitars, minor phrasings, tribal drums,
simple mournful guitar solos, and melodic and yearning vocals—which recall
traditional folk songs—bring this record to life. Whether it’s a reference to
an economic system rife with inequity, or simply the cry of a struggling artist
in the clutches of a capitalist world, I did find my heart quickening to the
repeated lyric that comes later in the record: “where’s the money gone.” Worth
a spin.
–Noah (Bakery Outlet/Echo Canyon, bakeryoutletrecords.com/echocanyonrecords.com)

OLD GROWTH / 12XU:Split: 7"
We’ve got a problem here. It’s finals at school and I’ve got limited time to write these reviews, but all I want to do is play this record over and over! Old Growth combine winding guitars, interesting rhythms, and vocal hooks while retaining a punk compactness. Think Jawbox or Unwound at a house show. France’s 12XU play silty indie punk with sing-song vocals. They remind me of an old favorite, Garden Variety. Two songs from each band, but I’ll be seeking out more. My grades may suffer for it, but damn the torpedoes; it will be worth it.
–CT Terry (Bakeru Outlet)

OLD GROWTH / SCIENCE OF YABRA:Split: 7"
Science hits again with another dirty Jehu-styled dirge—if you’ve heard either of their LPs or any of their 7”s, you know what pond you’re skinny dipping in. Fuck, Luke’s got a set of pipes on him. Old Growth totally rules this record, kicking out two rough-hewn pop songs (and I don’t mean pop in a crappy K Records way but a good, melancholy-but-still-rocking broken heart on your sleeve kind of way.) They’ve also got an LP out and after listening to their side of the split about twenty times in a row it looks like I’m gonna have to go pick it up.
–Keith Rosson (Bakery Outlet)

OLD LINES:Demo: CD
Old Lines play dark, raw, gritty, and heavy hardcore punk that totally rips! I was blown away when I saw them play in a basement in CT, and this demo does a great job of capturing their live ferocity. The demo includes three songs of catchy riffs, manic drum beats, and throat-blistering vocals. The only disappointment here is how quickly the demo is over. Three songs just aren’t enough! Thankfully, the band is heading into the studio to rerecord these songs, plus a few more for a second release later this year. Pick this up to tide you over until then. I can’t recommend it enough.
–Paul J. Comeau (oldlines.bandcamp.com, oldlines666@gmail.com)

OLD LINES:Self-titled: LP
Pummeling, raw, vicious hardcore from ex-Pulling Teeth and Ruiner folks, so you should have some idea of what you’re in for. Low, fast, hyper-aggressive hardcore with the occasional non-derivative breakdown and even flashes of gloomy melody. Hell, I might dig this more than both PT and Ruiner, and that’s saying plenty. Get this shit.
–Dave Williams (Self-released, oldlines.bandcamp.com)

OLD LINES:Self-titled: 12” EP
You know the feeling you get when you see a great band live? The hair stands up on the back of your neck, and it feels like the music isn’t just vibrating in your ears, but right down to your DNA. That’s the feeling I’ve gotten both times I’ve seen Old Lines play, and their debut 12” captures that experience in vinyl form. The record features seven tracks, delivering Old Lines’ crushing riffs direct to you. I was a big fan of the band’s sharp political lyrics, which tackle a variety of topics, but especially on the track “Cages,” for its anti-vivisection theme. Vocalist Matt’s potent roar and the rest of the band’s thundering music is so intense on record, you’ll swear you’re in a dirty basement somewhere experiencing them live.
–Paul J. Comeau (oldlines bandcamp.com, oldlines666@gmail.com)

OLD MAN LADY LUCK:Self-titled: LP
Old Man Lady Luck busts out heavy instrumental rock that defies easy genre classification. Are they post-hardcore? Post-rock? Drone? They are perhaps a little of each of these things, but they are also so much more. With lots of guitar wankery, frequent changes in tone and tempo, and complex riffs that rise and fall in intensity, each song on this record feels like a movement of a symphony. Combined, the songs on this album reveal a fine tapestry of sound. I continue to find things that intrigue me about this album, even after repeated listens. Regardless of your taste, there will be something about this album that will pique your interest.
–Paul J. Comeau (Forge)

OLD MAN LADY LUCK:Self-titled: LP
MOM, SUMMER CAMP IS WEIRD, BUT I FOUND THE ONE GUY WHO THINKS “OBLITERATION” BY BLACK FLAG IS A GOOD SONG!!! Actually, for something i hate, this is not terribly bad. BEST SONG: There are songs? BEST SONG TITLE: There are song titles? FANTASTIC AMAZING TRIVIA FACT: Record has the phrases “Meat on meat, eh?” and “Get him a glass of meat, eh?” inscribed on the runoff grooves.
–Rev. Norb (Forge)

OLD MAN MARKLEY:Guts N’ Teeth: CD
This down-to-earth, bluegrass, good time band is going to be your favorite thing. Every person in this group seems genuine in their art. I love watching them all have a great time performing while simultaneously trying to fit the entire band onto one stage. This album reflects all the happy things they project out to their audience. If you get a chance to see them perform, get off your couch and make the effort because you will be glad you did. Go out and get two copies of this record for you and someone you like.
–Corinne (Fat)

OLD MAN MARKLEY:Guts n’ Teeth: CD
This is a bit of an oddity. We have here a Fat Wreck release that could potentially be played on CMT or TNN, if it were still around. This isn’t punk with a distinct influence from some country music. This is a full-on modern bluegrass album that just happens to be played by a legion of punk rockers. Mainstream country is about as big a cesspool as Clear Channel-core rock, so it’s nice to hear some stuff with an Appalachian slant that doesn’t involve an excessive sheen of jingoism or enough mawkish sentimentality to make one want to join a Nordic black metal band. (Okay, “Song Songs” does get dangerously close to crossing the line on the sentimental thing though.) Simply put, this is a fun record. It’s the type of thing you could probably put on at a party with mixed company and not kill the buzz of people who are less accustomed to the noisier side of things.
–Adrian Salas (Fat)

OLD MAN MARKLEY:For Better for Worse: 7”
When this band was described to me by a friend of mine, I felt it was pretty much the opposite of something I’d want to listen to. Seriously, how many fiddle, stand up bass, and banjo bands are out there these days? Well, I begrudgingly went, saw them play, and was an instant convert. This is just great twang music that is played really well. The countrified Screeching Weasel cover on the flipside is pretty damn fine, too!
–Ty Stranglehold (Fat)

OLD MAN STRENGTH:Woke up Swinging: 7”
Paging
Kangaroo Records, there is a band you need to snap up for an album immediately!
Right out of the gate I am hearing some serious Negative Approach/Out Cold
vibes from this band and that is usually the only thing I wanna hear where
hardcore punk is concerned. Hailing from Vancouver B.C., where they know a
thing or two about killer hardcore, Old Man Strength drop four mid-tempo,
pissed-off HC killers on this single. “Conversations with a Jackass” is my pick
to click here, but all four songs are great, pissed-off, basic hardcore. Cannot
wait to hear a full length from this band.
–Mike Frame (Pankratium, oldmanstrength1.bandcamp.com)

OLD TIME RELIJUN:Catharsis in Crisis: CD
These guys make Wesley Willis sound like Asia
–Sean Koepenick (K)

OLD WIVES:Backed in a Corner: CD
The opening track on this disc is amazing! It’s so good, in fact, that I felt that the rest of the disc couldn’t live up to its awesomeness. It’s not that the rest is bad by any means—it’s standard pop punk stuff—but, damn, that first song stuck with me for awhile. It would have been great to have that song on a 7”.
–Ty Stranglehold (When’s Lunch)

OLD WIVES / BLENDOURS:Here We Go Again: CD
These two bands play
equally sterile pop punk. As I reach the end of the album, I’m trying to recall
a single song I just heard, and I can’t. Just a bunch of chirping with
too-clean production. The songwriting is strictly by-the-book. Sometimes bands
just get lost in their attempt to achieve perfection.
–MP Johnson (Eccentric Pop, eccentricpop.com)

OLDE GHOST:Totally:
Suggestion to whoever wrote the one sheet: don’t name drop Drive Like Jehu and Hot Snakes when the band you’re pumping is pretty much a straight-ahead modern punk band with screamed-rasped vocals, heavy tuning, and weight. Whereas John Reis, Gar Wood, and Co. made songs in which the notes could be made into maps of different, freaky, and badass worlds, Olde Ghost’s music is more or less a straight line with a couple of small swerves and pebbles being kicked up. Like End On End, perhaps, or the less interesting God Hates Computers tracks? Nice chipboard packaging and it came with a CDEP, too.
–Todd Taylor (7”EP)

OLDE GHOST:Use Your Illusion 3 ‘N’ 4: LP
Way above average post hardcore punk with an emphasis on the hardcore. This kind of feat is seldom achieved, but I can see this tickling the taste buds of folks who enjoy Born Against, Planes Mistaken For Stars, and Samiam alike. The Guns N’ Roses and Nirvana artwork parodies are fun, but if I were the kind of person who truly judges a book by its cover, then I may not have been quick to pick this gem up solely based on those qualities.
–Juan Espinosa (Handstand)

OLDE GHOST:If We Ever Get Out of This Alive: EP
Life can be circular with attitudes and fashions coming back around once the original purveyors have long since given up and the “kids” reinvent the wheel. Seems that we are in a ‘90s throwback era, which for any of us who lived through it, seems like a dreadful idea. Olde Ghost from Seattle is digging back into that hazy post straight edge era just before everyone went emo. I’m not knocking it, ‘cause I’m sure this lot are a bulldozer live. Off kilter Flag-esque riffs mixed with Swiz or maybe shit like Struggle and some of the mid period Revelation Records stuff. I take comfort in the known, the familiar, but while this checks all the “hardcore” boxes, it barely got my heart rate up and after the record disappeared back in its sleeve, I knew it would never see the light of day again. –Tim Brooks
–Guest Contributor (facebook.com/OldeGhost)

OLDFASHIONED IDEAS:We’re in This Shit Together: LP
This is a very limited (250 copies only) LP edition of a popular 2010 Swedish street punk CD. A quality blend of early Euro oi and faster U.S.-based oi/street sounds, there’s nothing not to like about this LP. My favorite song is “Spirit of ‘95,” a non-sarcastic, honest nostalgic trip down memory lane for a time that the band members actually experienced. It’s pressed on cool purple vinyl and packaged in a sleeve featuring a montage of photos of Oldfashioned Ideas and their peeps. The photos help to prove the time-honored truism that European punks and skins are better-looking than their stateside counterparts. I love my friends, but we are fucking ugly compared to this crew.
–Art Ettinger (Switchlight, switchlight-records.com)

OLDFASHIONED IDEAS:Promises Mean Nothing: CD
I’m so fucking sick of fake nostalgia. Pictures of shit from the forties on a skinhead album. Shock me, shock me, shock me. Lyrically, this is so off it’s occasionally painful, and I’m not even getting into the missing space in the name. Or am I? I am. If you want your logo to consist of an O and an I, think of a fucking name that only has an O and an I. Anti-racist skins who claim “blues belong in sheds” and “country only draws in rats.” Genius lyricists, indeed. Musically, it’s second-rate street punk without the aggression or mandatory chant required to be oi!
–Rene Navarro (Switchlight)

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